The Co-existence of Good and Evil

The theme which i thought was a very key aspect to this novel was, the Co-existence of Good and Evil. I felt this theme was used really well and it really helped us to understand ourselves as we are right now and the characters as they are in the book.

The first example of this theme is when Atticus says to Scout, "...its never an insult to be called what somebody thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how poor that person is," (Lee, 30). I chose to use this as an example of the Co-existence of Good and Evil because Atticus makes a strong point. He says when someone calls you a bad name, it just makes them look bad, mean and a very poor type of person. Atticus says this because he is explaining to Jem that you can be labeled with bad names but it shouldn't matter as you know you are the good person but the individual who called you that name is the bad person. He is teaching her a valuable lesson about how to be kind and to others, instead of being mean and evil.

"He slowly squeezed the breath out of me. I could not move.

"Suddenly he was jerked backwards and flung in the ground, almost carrying me with him, I though Jem's up," (Lee, 151). This is an example of the co-existence of Good a nd Evil because Jem and Scout are about to be faced with evil as Mr. Ewell is nearly about to kill him. Though, they are saved by Mr. Radley which becomes a good thing as Scout and Jem are now under protection.

The Importance of Moral Education

The Importance of Moral Education was another theme used greatly by Harper Lee. There were a lot of lessons which Atticus and other characters taught to Jem and Scout about life, and oppurtunities, risks etc. They taught them life lessons based on what they knew.

"I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do," (Lee, 119). This relates to Moral education because Atticus was trying to teach Jem and Scout a lesson about what courage really means and what happens when you become courageous.


Another example of Moral Education is when Scout says to Mr. Dolphus Raymond, "Atticus says cheatin' a colored man is ten times worse than cheatin' a white man. Says it's the worst thing you can do," (Lee, 201). This is an example of moral education because Scout is explaining how her dad taught her about cheating other people. She knows its wrong to cheat anyone whether they are Black or White. However, she knew specifically not to cheat black people as they are already cheated enough. Both Scout and Jem are very good and well behaved individuals, usually well-respected by their peers and neighbourhood friends because of the morals and ethics which Atticus continues to influence them with.

The Co-existence of Social Inequality

In my opinion, the Co-existence of Social Inequality means how people are treated unfairly. To me, this means that people are treated differently based on their social status. If they are poor, they are most likely treated with less-respect and given different rights and equalities than rich people are given. Social inequality also has a lot to do with your appearance and for example, your skin colour.

An example of Social Inequality is, when Lula is arguing with Calphurnia because Cal brought Jem and Scout with her to the "negro" Church. "You ain't got no buisness bringin' white chillun here- they got their church-they got their church , we got our'n. It is our church, ain't it Miss Cal?', said Lula. 'It's the same God, ain't it?," said Calphurnia (Lee, 119). This example represents social inequality because Calphurnia is saying that whether the children are Black or they are White, it doesn't matter where they pray. Lula doesn't exactly approve of Jem and Scout praying with Cal in the "negro" Church because they are white. However, even I believe that a Church should be open to anyone who wants to pray. At the end of the day, Calphurnia is right by saying that it is "one god,".

Another example of Social Inequality is shown when Aunt Alexandra is explaining the justice system. This quote relates to Social Inequality because Alexandra is talking about the Black and White race. She is talking about the inequality amongst the two groups when she says, “The handful of people in this town who say that fair play is not marked White Only; the handful of people who say a fair trial is for everybody, not just us; the handful of people with enough humility to think, when they look at a Negro, there but for the Lord’s kindness am l," (Lee, 256).

Fear and Courage

Guiding Question:
How do language and literature facilitate our understanding of ourselves and others?

Fear and Courage is a huge aspect in understanding ourselves as well as our peers and the people of our environment. This is because, we are able to identify whether they are scared or confident, what their fears are and why they feel this way. Or, we are able to identify why they have so much power. This theme was really important because in the times when Black people were mistreated and didn't have the same/ equal rights (as their surroundings), it was very evident to clarify who had fear and who had courage.

Throughout this novel, we could tell that Tom Robinson, the black man, feared the white people. They hated him and they accused him of raping Mayella Ewell. They only accused him of raping Mayella because he was black.
An example of fear and courage is when Tom Robinson tries to escape during the trial. This exemplified both fear as well as courage because he was scared and he probably had fearful thoughts about what the white people would do to him. He knew he wasn't the one who raped the girl but he also knew that the Jury were not going to believe him. Tom Rombinson also exemplified courage because he took the chance and he took a risk in running away. He tried to escape. He knew the people in the court were going to catch him before he could escape, however Tom Robinson still took a risk in trying to escape from the trial, which makes him in a way, a courageous person. "Tom Robinson had come to a dead stop. He glanced at Atticus, then at the jury, and the at Mr.Underwood sitting across the room," (Lee, 193).

Another example of this, is in the beginning of the book when Dill says, "Let's try to make him come out. I'd to see what he looks like," (Lee, 13). This is an example of courage on Dill's behalf, but it's hard and scary for Mr. Radley. No one really knows how he feels or what he is like. People assume that Boo Radley is a scary man because they think he stabbed his father with scissors. No one has any proof of this but they mainly just want to find out who Boo Radley is and what his features are; they want to meet him face to face.

Even though one can be fearful, it doesn't mean they can't be courageous. Even though Boo Radley is showing is neighbours and the people who live in his town, that he is scared of them, he still makes a courageous act towards the end of the novel. Throughout this novel, he was sort of like an undeveloped character but at the same time, an un-sung hero. An example of this in the novel is, "Suddenly he was jerked backwards and flung on the ground, almost carrying me with him," (Lee, 262). I feel like this is an example of courage because in the end we figure out that the individual who saved Jem and Scout was Mr. Boo Radley. He is sort of like a courageous un-sung hero as no one would ever expect him to risk his own life against saving two children whom he barely knew or acknowledged.


Mr. Boo Radley's house:

Innocence and Experience

Guiding Question:
How do language and literature facilitate our understanding of ourselves and others?

In my opinion, I think Harper Lee used this theme to exemplify guidance and confidence. Throughout the book, people look to one another for guidance and help. I think Innocence and Experience help to answer the guiding question because it helps us to define in words and in speech, who we are as well as the definition of our peers. When we have experience and knowledge on our peers, it helps us to define who they are.

Throughout the novel, Atticus demonstrated himself as a great role model and a very kind and generous father figure to both Jem and Scout. He taught them important lessons and manners for them to know and always keep in mind.
One example of Innocence and Experience is when Atticus talks to Jem and Scout about how they shouldn't waste their time bothering Mrs. Dubose. "She's an old lady and she's ill. You just hold your head high and be a gentleman. Whatever she says to you, it's your job not to let her make you mad," (Lee, 100). This is an example of innocence and experience because clearly by the way Atticus is speaking, he has already experienced this with Mrs. Dubose. He knows what type of person she is. She isn't very nice but she is also old and sick. From this quote, I understood that Atticus is advising Jem and Scout not to let her get them down or crush them.

Another example of Innocence and Experience is when Mr. Boo Radley was puzzled by Jem as he had never experienced the outdoor world and he didn't really have any ideas about who or what a boy was.
“One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them," (Lee, 279). Mr. Radley was experiencing the way Jem acted. He was sort of in putting himself in the shoes of Jem as he was experiencing what it took to be just a regular boy.

Themes

There were many different themes which Harper Lee used throughout her novel, To Kill A Mockingbird. Themes helped to make her novel interesting, unique and a very marvelous piece of writing. She used themes like:

• Innocence and Experience
• Fear and Courage
• The Co-existence of Social Inequality
• The Importance of Moral Education
• The Co-existence of Good and Evil


These aren't the only themes which exist; there are more but these were the themes specifically used by Harper Lee.

The Answer to the Guiding Question

What does the guiding question mean to me?

In my opinion, the guiding question means how can the way we communicate with other people demonstrate how we know each other. By this I mean, how can the way we speak to one another really help us to make the understanding of one another easier.
Harper Lee really helped me to answer this question through her writing. In my opinion, To Kill a Mockingbird is based on discrimination and how the color of someone can immediately determine an answer; how people assume based on the race. This book is based on how people of different races were stereotyped and mistreated in their society back in those times. If you look at it, you can see the vast change and how we have become somewhat more conscious and aware of what we say. Discrimination hasn’t been eliminated from this world but it is most definitely not as big of a problem as it used to be around 50 years ago.

I learned that race and the color of your skin cannot determine you guilty of an issue you caused. Color of skin is just one thing, but the person inside that skin is what really matters. Accusations shouldn’t be made if there isn’t any proof. That’s a very strong lesson which the society in that time as well as today, should take into account and be aware of.